Hello everyone and welcome to my final column for this paper as the Mayor of Frome. If you’ve checked in with me here regularly, you won’t be surprised to hear me say what a privilege the last year has been in so many ways, and one of the things I have enjoyed most over the year has been the regular opportunity to share with you some of the amazing things I’ve seen across the town, as well as to keep you up to date with the priorities of IfF and the Town Council.
We’ve got many challenges coming up; striking the balance between protecting our wildlife and the environment with the need for decent housing, thinking about how we tackle the ongoing cost of living and energy crises, how we respond to increasingly precarious events and circumstances.
It feels fitting then that as I write this the town is festooned with beautiful handmade pennants created by the incredible range of voluntary and community groups that really represent the backbone of the town and are so vital to its resilience. Led by the creators of that other beautiful Frome institution, Light the Night, for me they act as a great shorthand for the times this year when I have been, moved, impressed, inspired, or just generally blown away by the people who live and work and give their time and experience to making the town what it is.
I’m without a doubt going to miss being the Mayor of this progressive and creative place and will always look back on this year with pride. I hope the new Mayor has as brilliant a year as I have had, and I’m sure you’ll enjoy reading their updates from the next issue onwards.
Thanks again to everyone for a wonderful year. As always look after yourselves and each other and don’t hesitate to contact FTC if we can help you with anything.
